Two More Parts Of Alabama Immigration Law Put On Hold, Rest Upheld

"The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has stayed the parts of Alabama's immigration law that require proof of lawful residency in the U.S. and track immigration information about newly enrolled students," The Huntsville Times writes.

The court also, "has issued a temporary ruling that allows police to detain immigrants [who] are suspected of being in the country illegally," The Associated Press adds. So that part of the law remains in effect. (A copy of today's ruling is posted here.)

Last month, as we reported, a federal judge in Birmingham, Ala., blocked some provisions of the state's controversial law — most notably those, as the Montgomery Advertiser wrote, that would "make it a state crime to harbor immigrants and make it a misdemeanor to work in the state"

But that September ruling also left much of the law in place.

Now, as the Advertiser reports, the appeals court has added some provisions to the list of those that won't go into effect "while plaintiffs appeal U.S. District Judge Sharon Blackburn's [Sept. 28] decision."

"A final decision on the law won't be made for months to allow time for more arguments.

"Since a federal judge upheld much of the law in late September, many frightened Hispanics have been driven away from Alabama, fearing they could be arrested or targeted by police. Construction workers, landscapers and field hands have stopped showing up for work, and large numbers of Hispanic students have been absent from public schools."